Pembrokeshire Record Office is a key custodian of the county's history.

Its prime purpose is to preserve Pembrokeshire's written heritage - including deeds, diaries, postcards, autograph albums, letters, programmes, scrapbooks, certificates, maps, photographs or newspapers.

Now the Haverfordwest-based office wants today's residents to make their mark on history by depositing their documents with them and preserving them for posterity.

"Our documents have been donated or deposited for safe-keeping by all sorts of different people who, by doing so, have taken their place in the history of Pembrokeshire," said archivist, Nikki Bosworth.

"Some of our documents may have famous historical connections - such as soldier Oliver Cromwell, politician David Lloyd George and singer Cerys Matthews - but the vast majority reflect the everyday lives of those who have 'made their mark' in Pembrokeshire," she said.

"In the past, if a person was unable to sign their own name, they could 'sign' an official document by drawing the sign of a cross, which would then be countersigned by someone who was literate. This was known as 'making your mark'. 

"Now we want residents of the county today to also make their mark. By depositing documents with us, people can retain ownership of their records, but be sure that they are preserved for posterity."

Nikki Bosworth said that records were stored in secure strong-rooms designed to protect them from fire, flood, pollution, damp, dirt, extremes of heat and light and also from animal and insect pests.

"This includes protection from humans - not just from theft or vandalism but also from everyday wear and tear!"

Most records can be made available for research by members of the public under the supervision of qualified archivists.

The Pembrokeshire Record Office, based in the old prison at Haverfordwest Castle, is open to the public from Monday to Thursday 9 am to 4.45 pm and on Fridays from 9 am to 4.15 pm. The office is also open on the first Saturday morning in the month (unless a Bank Holiday weekend) from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, but does not open until 10 am on the first Monday in the month.

Further details are available from the Record Office on 01437 763707, fax 01437 768539, email [email protected]">[email protected], website http://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk">www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk (search under A-Z of services for 'record office').